African Mahogany

Heartwood varies from light to deep reddish brown. Grain straight to interlocked, moderately coarse textured to medium. Logs may have brittle heart or soft heart and cross fractures or heartbreaks.

Mechanical Properties:

Has a moderately good wood bending properties, the other types cannot be bent without severe buckling or fibre rupture. The bending strength is low, stiffness and resistance to shock loads is very low and the crushing atrength is medium.

There is a moderate blunting effect on tools, and tension wood or brittle heart and interlocked grain van cause wooliness. To avoid tearing the grain a reduced cutting angle of from 15° to 20° is desirable. Nailing, screwing and gluing properties are good and may be stained and polished to an excellent finish.

Durability:

Liable to insect attack. The heartwood is moderately durable but extremely resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood is moderately resistant.

Uses:

Widely used for furniture and cabinetmaking, office, shop and bank fitting, interior joinery, boatbuilding and vehicle bodies. It is extensively used for laminations especially in cold moulded processes. Rotary cut logs are used for plywood and sliced veneers for decorative work.